THE LION AND THE GNAT

[38] "AWAY with you, vile insect!"
said a Lion angrily to a Gnat
that was buzzing around his
head. But the Gnat was not in
the least disturbed.

"Do you think," he said spitefully to the Lion, "that I am
afraid of you because they call
you king?"

The next instant he flew at
the Lion and stung him sharply on
the nose. Mad with rage, the
Lion struck fiercely at the Gnat,
but only succeeded in tearing himself with his claws. Again and
again the Gnat stung the Lion,
who now was roaring terribly.
At last, worn out with rage and
covered with wounds that his
own teeth and claws had made,
the Lion gave up the fight.

The Gnat buzzed away to tell
the whole world about his victory,
but instead he flew straight into
a spider's web. And there,
he who had defeated the King
of beasts came to a miserable
end, the prey of a little spider.

The least of our enemies is often the most to be feared.

Pride over a success should not throw us off our guard.

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